Ruger Six-Series Revolvers

Ruger introduced its Six-Series with the Security-Six in 1971 and Speed-Six in 1974 as a competitive answer to the double action market that had basically been cornered by Colt and Smith & Wesson to that point. These sold from 1972 to 1988 and Bill Ruger set the industry back on its haunches with the new and excellent Six-Series revolvers in .357 Mag, .38 Special, and 9mm. Some models were also exported in small numbers to Britain chambered in .38 S&W.

Ruger’s design was completely revolutionary and made without sideplates, adding to its strength, along with its sub-assembly type engineering. It was designed for simplicity and ease of maintenance and came in three basic models: The Security-Six with squared back butt frame and adjustable sights, the Police Service-Six with squared back butt frame and fixed sights, and the Speed-Six with rounded butt frame and fixed sights. All three models came in 2 3/4" and 4" barrel lengths as well as 6" in the Security-Six.

Special order revolvers such as the Speed-Six featured in this article came with a 3" barrel, originally a special order for the U. S. Postal Service Inspector Force. Target and semi-target grips were also available from the factory. There were several Commemorative issue revolvers to honor various law enforcement groups as well. Many folks bemoan the passing of these great revolvers as their size and strength made for ease of handling by both men and women alike.

I have owned several of these revolvers in all three models over the years, including those pictured and used in this article as well as the GP-100 and Redhawk pictured for size comparison. I like the size of the GP and Redhawk for hunting use but find them much too large and unwieldy for everyday defense and use. These revolvers can take a lot of abuse and many thousands of rounds fired. Few things go wrong with them. Most of the problems encountered are due to amateur gunsmithing and tinkering!

I’ll cover complete disassembly and some common problems along with aftermarket parts that will enhance the use of these revolvers. Although accurate figures are not forthcoming from Ruger management, it is believed well in excess of one and a quarter million Six-Series revolvers were produced and sold during its production time frame.

Safety Features Only when the trigger is in its rear position is the hammer blow transmitted to the firing pin through the transfer bar. This is a positive means of internal safety designed to prevent firing should the gun be dropped or the hammer struck. When the cylinder is opened, the hammer cannot be cocked, and when the hammer is cocked, the cylinder cannot be opened. Caution: Before any and all disassembly, insure that the revolver is empty of all live cartridges by examining an open cylinder.

Field Stripping Although the revolver can be field stripped using a coin and hammer spring strut, I disapprove of these methods except in an emergency. The use of proper tools insures proper safety and professionalism in the disassembling of any firearm. Remove the grip screw and grips with care as they may cling to the frame very tightly. I actually have Herrett aftermarket Speed-Six grips on my Security-Six in this article as I like the feel and fit of them.

Just a slight bit of the back of the grip frame protrudes from the lower part of the grips. There should be a small disassembly pin inside the grip aligning roll pin at the bottom rear of the frame, or in some cases, a small hole in the grip. If not, a #43 drill bit shank or similar size pin (paperclip) can be utilized to capture the hammer strut assembly. Cock the hammer and place the pin in the through-hole at the bottom of the strut and slowly release the hammer with the trigger pull.

Remove the hammer strut assembly out either side of the frame. If the strut assembly needs to be disassembled, place the base plate against the side of vise jaws and press in on the plate with hand protection, removing the pin

Ruger Six-Series (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 1 Barrel 2 Crane 3 Cylinder 4 Cylinder Center Lock Pin 5 Cylinder Center Pin Spring 7 Cylinder Latch 8 Cylinder Latch Plunger 9 Cylinder Latch Spring 10 Cylinder Release Button 11 Cylinder Release Pivot 12 Cylinder Release Spring 13 Cylinder Release Spring Plunger 14 Disassembly Pin 15 Ejector 16 Ejector Rod 17 Ejector Rod Washer 18 Ejector Spring 19 Firing Pin 20 Firing Pin Rebound Spring 21 Frame and slowly releasing the hammer spring.

Do this with caution as this is a very powerful spring. Reassembly is in the reverse. Push the hammer pin out to the right. Pull the trigger to the rear and remove the hammer assembly through the top.

Push in on the trigger guard plunger with an appropriate pin 22 Front Latch 23 Front Latch Cross Pin 24 Front Latch Spring 25 Front Sight Blade 27 Grip Panel Boss 28 Grip Panels 29 Grip Panel Ferrule, Left 30 Grip Panel Ferrule, Right 31 Grip Panel Dowel 32 Grip Panel Screw 33 Hammer 34 Hammer Dog 35 Hammer Dog Pivot Pin 36 Hammer Dog Spring 37 Hammer Dog Spring Plunger 38 Hammer Pivot Assembly 39 Hammer Strut 40 Mainspring 41 Mainspring Seat 42 Grip Medallion 43 Pawl 44 Pawl Plunger 45 Pawl Spring 46 Rear Sight 48 Rear Sight Blade 49 Rear Sight Elevation Screw 50 Rear Sight Elevation Springs 51 Rear Sight Windage Screw 52 Rear Sight Windage Spring 53 Recoil Plate 54 Recoil Plate Cross Pin 55 Transfer Bar 56 Trigger 57 Trigger Bushing 58 Trigger Pivot Pin 59 Trigger Spring 60 Trigger Guard 61 Trigger Guard Plunger 63 Trigger Guard Plunger Spring punch.

I utilize a Ruger "popper" I made to use with tools for complete disassembly. There can be a little rust in the plunger cavity so you may have to squirt a little oil or WD-40 in there to ease movement of the plunger. Remove the guard assembly down and out of the frame. Removing the American Gunsmith Reader Services 1.

guard will free up the cylinder assembly to be removed. Unlatch the cylinder assembly and move it out to the front. The cylinder stop will probably fall out of the frame so take care not to lose it. If it doesn’t fall out, remove it downward. You can remove the cylinder stop plunger and spring now. The revolver is field stripped for routine cleaning. Reassembly is in the reverse.

Note, when reinstalling the trigger guard assembly, use a pin punch or small screwdriver to push the cylinder hand forward and right to prevent the back lobe of the hand from jamming in its channel, damaging it and the frame. Detail Stripping I will make note of parts that are not routinely disassembled unless required for repair or replacement. For the trigger guard assembly, pull the trigger slightly to the rear and remove the transfer bar to the left and out. Push out the trigger pin either way.

The trigger pin is 0.0915 in diameter and 0.484 in length for reference. Remove the trigger assembly from the top of the guard. Remove the cylinder hand out the right side of the trigger while restraining the cylinder hand plunger and spring. This spring is of medium strength and will not usually get away from you, but be sure to restrain it. Remove the plunger and spring. The plunger is approximately 3/32" in diameter and 0.370 in length. The spring is approximately 0.095 in diameter and 0.5" long.

Use the appropriate size roll pin punch to remove the trigger bushing. This is normally kept in place unless putting in a custom hammer and trigger spring kit. I’ve included a picture showing the proper orientation of the trigger return spring with the long arm of the spring going to the front of the frame. This is a stout spring and should be for proper function and return of the trigger to battery. The trigger guard plunger and spring are not routinely removed in normal maintenance unless required for repair.

If necessary for removal, use the appropriate size roll pin punch. Note, this is a very stout spring and the plunger and spring will go into orbit if not properly restrained! Place a drop of oil on the plunger cavity and work it a few times. There is absolutely no reason to put a lighter spring in there. You want to insure that the guard stays in place while firing the revolver! To detail strip the cylinder assembly, remove the cylinder stop plunger and spring. The plunger is 1/8" in diameter, 1 1/16" in length.

The spring is 0.115 in diameter and 5/8" in length and of medium strength. Unscrew the extractor rod clockwise as viewed from the front with padded jaw pliers. It is left hand threaded! Some of these are in tight and it would be a good idea to put empty cartridge cases in opposing chambers to give this effort support. Incidentally, the cylinder turns counter clockwise during normal operation as from the rear of the revolver. Remove the ejector rod toward the front.

Remove the center pin and its spring toward the front. Make note of the orientation of the pin and its spring when removing for proper reassembly. Remove the crane toward the front, the ejector spring from the front of the cylinder, and the small washer from the barrel of the crane. This washer acts as a compressor for the ejector spring and is very important in the operation of the cylinder. It is very small, so don’t lose it!

The factory recommends replacement when it is removed but I personally have never done this and see no need as long as there is no damage and it is serviceable. Remove the ejector/ ratchet from the rear of the cylinder. Note that it is "keyed" for proper reassembly. Push the cylinder lock pin out the rear of the ratchet barrel. Reassembly of the cylinder assembly is in the reverse except where noted above.

For crane latch disassembly and the ejector shroud, unscrew the vertical screw that holds the crane latch assembly in and out the bottom of the upper curved frame. Push in on the nose of the latch with a small pin punch at the center of the recoil plate and remove the latch and its plunger and spring. Restrain the plunger and spring while doing this to prevent their loss. Do not remove the latch assembly if it is working properly. Just give it a drop of oil at the plunger tip and work the latch

a few times. Drift out the small roll pin in the ejector shroud to release the forward latch plunger and spring. As with the latch assembly, don’t remove unless it has failed as working in a drop of oil will do. On to the sights. The front sight is retained by a small roll pin. Leave in place if serviceable. The rear sight (Security-Six) is fully adjustable and it and its elevation springs are held in by across pin in the top strap. Leave it in place unless service is needed.

The firing pin retaining pin is contour finished to the frame and should not be removed unless repair is needed. Some damage to the frame usually occurs when this pin is removed. To take down the hammer assembly, pushing out the crosspin at the front of the hammer will allow removal of the double action lever and its plunger and spring. Leave this unit in place unless repair is needed. Reassembly is in the reverse for these previous assemblies.

Reassembly/Troubleshooting Six-Series revolvers have a left-hand threaded ejector rod that needs to be screwed in counterclockwise as viewed from the front. When replacing the cylinder lock pin in the ejector, its larger end goes toward the front of the assembly. Make sure the ejector spring washer is inserted into the arbor before replacing the crane in the cylinder. The washer is usually slightly concaved. Face the concaved part toward the spring.

Be sure to pull the trigger to the rear when dropping the hammer back into the frame so the top of the trigger mates up properly with the double action lever on the hammer. Once the hammer pin is installed, pull the trigger a few times to make sure the hammer comes back on each pull. When installing the hammer spring assembly, the longer portion of the baseplate goes to the front of the grip frame. If you have difficulties, first things first!

Anytime you have a revolver with problems, start with an examination of the parts you can readily see and give the revolver a thorough cleaning. Dirt normally accumulates in the crane and cylinder assembly, especially under the extractor "star" and at the front of the cylinder. This frequently causes a sluggish cylinder operation which can create timing problems. If the cylinder is hard to open or close, it’s often caused by a loose ejector rod. Make sure it is tight.

I don’t recommend any type of Loctite because you want to be able to take this assembly apart readily when need be. If threads have been stripped out, replace the parts. Another cause of hard to open/close cylinders are bent cranes. A lot of "drugstore cowboys" out there like to flip or slam home cylinders. A very harmful practice. It’s your money, let your conscience be your guide!

With a proper fitting crane, the cylinder should close up smoothly and like a bank vault door with very little separation of the parts. For easier trigger pulls, I recommend an aftermarket spring kit. Brownells sells a very good reduced power kit called the RDA-101 for Series-Six revolvers. It’s common to find that someone has cut coils off the hammer spring, giving erratic ignition, so just go with the proven aftermarket kit as it will insure reliable firing.

I don’t recommend any filing, grinding, or sanding of parts. Stoning is the only way to go on these revolvers by simply smooth out mating surfaces without changing angles. It’s OK to break rough edges slightly, as on the hammer spring strut, frame openings, and the like without compromising the safe and proper operation of the revolver. It’s easy to take metal off apart but very difficult to put it back on! Check the double action sear in the hammer for free movement and smoothness.

Do not mess with the factory spring in this assembly as it was engineered properly to begin with. Check the cylinder latch for proper timing and positive locking of the cylinder. You can slightly polish the latch but do not remove any metal and leave the edges square. Check the two pins in the cylinder that guide the ejector into its proper seat in the cylinder. Bent or loose pins can give you timing and/or latching problems.

In some cases, you may encounter an ill-fitting trigger guard assembly because of someone forcing it open with improper tools. This can cause all kinds of ignition problems. Leave this kind of problem to the professionals! If you have a transfer bar hanging up on the bottom of the firing pin, it could be one of several issues. There again, let a competent gunsmith diagnose the fix. The pawl in the trigger assembly and the ratchet teeth are the heart and soul of revolver operation.

Timing and any problems here should be addressed by a competent gunsmith. Don’t try to smooth these parts out for easier operation as you’ll be opening up a can of worms! Excessive end shake is rarely an issue with these revolvers because of their engineering. If you have a problem in this area, take it to a competent gunsmith for proper diagnosis and repair.

Parts for these revolvers are getting scarce and you should call the factory before sending any revolver to them to insure proper and timely available service. Some noteworthy specifications. The barrel/cylinder gap should be between 0.004 and 0.008 with 0.006 being optimum. Headspace (the distance between the cartridge head/ recoil shield) should be 0.010 +/- 0.002. Ruger’s Six-Series revolvers were well made and finished. With proper care and use they should last your lifetime and then some.

Again, I reiterate, if you’re in doubt as to the problem with your revolver, take it to a competent, professional gunsmith for service. AG